Max Dean Lembeck, 89

Max Dean Lembeck passed away Oct. 23, 2024. His accomplishments are many and varied, and at the time of this writing, the main thing that comes to mind is his mischievous grin when he cracked his witty jokes.

Max was born and raised in Republic, Wash. After the apparent drowning of his older brother, Leo, in Granite Creek, which was a heavy blow to the family, Max remained close with his two younger siblings, Wes and Joy (Schutt), and his parents, Louis and Iva, who passed away when Max was a sophomore in college. 

In high school, he lettered in baseball, basketball and football and was student body president. He also enjoyed playing the clarinet. He went on to Washington State College [now WSU] (go Cougs!), where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in mining engineering. He later earned a Master of Science in business organizational management from La Verne University. 

Max married Margaret (Peggy) Taylor in 1961 and celebrated the birth of his son, Steven, in 1962 and his daughter, Lisa, in 1964. Max worked for Nob Hill Mines as a miner, engineer and mine superintendent until 1979. During his children’s growing up years, he was a beloved coach of the Little League baseball team, Woodticks. He was an instigator of fun and provided many wonderful weekends of family fun with water skiing, huckleberry picking and baseball, of course. Many Sundays, the family snow skied at Mt. Baldy in British Columbia. 

He later worked as a mining engineer in Nevada; Bishop, Calif.; Arizona and back in Republic for Echo Bay Mines. During his professional career, he was appointed to the Washington State Governor's Industrial Safety and Health Advisor Board, serving three years. 

He was active in politics and was awarded a plaque of appreciation from Gov. Dan Evans for his able help and leadership in the 1968 campaign. 

Max and Peggy moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in 1991 and, upon retirement, have lived there for the past 30-plus years. 

Always an avid sportsman, Max played golf frequently and followed his favorite football and basketball teams (go Cougs). He attended St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and spent much of his time following the stock market and monitoring his investments. 

He was known for being wickedly intelligent and an incredibly hard worker. While his brilliance was apparent, his heart outshone everything else. He loved his family with a depth and devotion rarely found, and as his granddaughter says, “I remember his warmth and silliness — always trying to make us kids laugh — more than I remember his intelligence.” May we all be so humble. 

Max is preceded in death by his father, mother, all four siblings and Star, his favorite dog in the world. He is survived by his wife, both children, seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. His rumbling laugh and love of huckleberries lives on within his grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church (501 E. Wallace Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814). Please visit Max’s online memorial and sign his guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.